Final Goodbye
by arrowprincess12
Summary: The Awakening(2011). I thought the ending would have been much better if we could have seen Tom and Florence say one final goodbye. This will remain as a oneshot, but if it gets good enough feedback I will continue the story. Please read and review!


Florence had started the walk down the path near the school, thinking about what happened days ago. She thought she knew everything about herself but realized that she actually knew nothing. As the wind changed direction, she stopped and looked around as if she felt eyes on her. Behind her a few feet in the distance was Tom, the one who was so sad to see her leave again. When waking up after being poisoned by Maud, Florence noticed that he wasn't with her in the room, or in any of their old hiding places, and figured that she wasn't able to see him anymore.

But turning around she knew she was wrong, because she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face as she looked at the innocent boy standing in front of her. He looked conflicted though, unsure if she was actually seeing him, or seeing through him. It wasn't until she laughed that he started to smile.

"Mousie?" He asked, hopeful that his fears were not true.

"Little Tom..Care to go for a walk?" She said with a bright smile as she held out her hand for him to take. Tom's smile widened and ran into her arms hugging her.

"I thought you'd never be able to see me again." He cried. Florence knelt down so she was eye-level with him.

"Fear not my friend, you will always be a wonderful sight to me. How else will I be able to finally move on without being able to see my little Tom? My best friend?" She spoke softly putting a hand to his cold cheek in a comforting way.

"I miss you so much" Tom said wiping away his tears.

"And I you." Florence replied standing up. Tom took her hand and together they walked down the small path that led back to the school. Everything felt right again, and that everything was in its place how it should be. She could see Robert waiting for her with the car at the entrance of the house that remained a school for boys. Since returning, the boys had claimed that they all felt at ease now that the "ghost" was gone. There haven't been any accidents and the entire staff and students were thankful to her.

"Mother never came.." Tom said suddenly as they reached the beginning of the path that led back to the house. Florence thought back to that moment, when Maud had poisoned the both of them so Tom wouldn't have to be alone anymore. The fear that took over when she thought she was going to die.

"I'm sorry Tom. Maybe she's waiting for you, in a better place." She said in a way to try and make the little boy feel better. But the truth was that she didn't know what happened beyond death, she didn't know whether they had the choice to stay or go.

"I'm always going to be alone..Aren't I.." Tom choked out as he began to cry again. "You left first, then mother, and now your leaving again.."

Florence felt her heart break for Tom. She knew he was right because none of the other boys would ever be able to see them, none of the adults either. And now the only one who can see the poor boy is leaving to be happy with her new life.

"No Tom..Your not alone. Remember what I said when we were looking at the dollshouse? How Walter could see you because we was lonely?" She waited for him to nod before continuing. "I know that whenever somebody else starts to feel alone, you'll be right there for them, to make sure that they never feel like that again. And I'll always come back to visit you Tom." He rubbed at his eyes sniffling.

"Promise?"

"I promise." Nodding, Tom gave her one last hug before walking back to the school with her, never letting go of her hand. Robert didn't question what he saw, he remembered Florence telling him of how she was able to see Tom and the reason why. He understood, mostly because he knew what it was like to see the ghosts of the past. He watched her say a goodbye to the boy he couldn't see.

"Goodbye Mousie"

"Goodbye little Tom." Robert held open the car door for Florence as she approached and got in thanking him. Getting in the driver side he started the car and took off on the road, glancing at Florence and watching her stare out the window as the building got smaller and smaller. Florence felt her heart break at the sight of Tom chasing the car down the road until he couldn't keep up. She looked to Robert, feeling him grip her hand soothingly and giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. She didn't look back after that and focused only on the days to go by before her next visit. Before she got to see her best friend again.


End file.
